X-Mark Newbie reporting in

**Mael Coluim** · 13th January 10, 05:21 PM

from the Old Dominion State!

You may want to visit those clans that you have an ancestral tie at a nearby Scottish Festival. You may then be able to choose a Clan association that you like the members you have met. Many of us belong to more than one clan association. I belong to the clan society of my surname Malcolm, but also the Donnachaidhs and Gordon through maternal ancestry. With that decided you would wear their tartan.

The other way is to pick a clan society based on the tartan you like best! There is no right or wrong anwser!

**dfmacliam** · 13th January 10, 05:23 PM

Hello and Welcome from a Texan, currently in Ilinois..

as for your question... I would say, what is your paternal line?.. that is the usual, but not explicit.. some use the maternal line.. while others use what they feel closest to.

**Sammac** · 13th January 10, 05:32 PM

Welcome from Michigan

**GDub** · 13th January 10, 05:35 PM

Welcome from the San Francisco Bay Area!

**joecool** · 13th January 10, 06:08 PM

Welcome!

**KFCarter** · 13th January 10, 06:50 PM

Hello and welcome from Savannah, GA.

**CalMcGuire** · 13th January 10, 06:57 PM

From the Redwood Coast!

**McFarkus** · 13th January 10, 08:42 PM

from Chicago. I concur about looking at your various family tartans and decide which you like best, or which family name you have an affinity for. If you Google Tartan Ferret you can look up all registered tartans.

**SteveB** · 13th January 10, 09:19 PM

Hello

and a warm Celtic

from Boston, Massachusetts.

First is the family name you have the greatest infinity to, and then next is to check out the web sites of all the clans you mentioned. Some clan associations welcome only those who can document their blood line to the clan (very few). Most clan associations welcome anyone with an interest in the clan and its history. Then a visit to the Scottish Tartans Authority will yield all the tartans that belong to each clan. Some have only one or two, while others have many.

If this is your first kilt, you may then want to check the USA Kilts website (see upper left banner) Click on kilts, then click on Semi-traditional. Rocky has a large collection of tartans in Poly-viscouse material. This is lighter than wool in weight and on your wallet. The Semi-trad has much the same characteristics of the wool Tank, with a little less swish, and the ability to wash and hang dry, along with permanent press pleats. This would give you a first kilt that you can dress up and down. Once you have decided on THE tartan, then it would be worth the expense of a bespoke hand sewn wool kilt (on this forum we refer to this type as a Tank, in that they last forever and are hard to destroy.)

Please feel free to post your questions, most of us on the forum are willing to supply answers. The only stupid question is the one that has not been asked.

Welcome to the rabble.
Slainte